Thanks for including the links. I checked some of the literacy standards because that is an area in which I know something. The optimistic view is that the Standards do specify important skills thus giving teachers guidance that they would be lacking if they graduated from a second or third or fourth rate teacher prep program. The pessimistic view is that implementing a good standard incompetently makes it a very bad standard; the standards are just words but the test items, scoring protocols, and training of the scorers are all essential in determining what the standard "really" means. In my opinion, the chances of all that being implemented without totally destroying the value of the standards are lower than my chances of winning the Publishers Clearinghouse sweepstakes. Even assuming the purest of motivation behind the push for the Common Core, having such national standards imposed is extremely dangerous.

Do you mean that cockroaches are on their way out? Or will the sharks intervene to save them? And does your notion on becoming extinct apply to plant species? And would you offer sources to support your assertion?

Dr_Zinj
do you happen to know anyone who has gone to a dentist? to an MD treat a broken limb? or anyone who has played a contact sport such as football, soccer, or hockey?
Do you believe everything anyone tells you, without checking the accuracy of the statements? Do you happen to know any Seals who have gone on a rampage of retribution? Do you suppose that bombs or drone strikes ever inflict pain on anyone? Or do you believe that collateral damage is OK? Just asking.

Excellent! However, I believe you are incorrect. The "exemptions" are 1st Amendment exemptions, i.e., apply to all. They are NOT exempt from being hauled out of the House or Senate for treason, felony, of breach of the peace. But are exempt from being hauled out for a parking ticket or a civil complaint; on the other hand I've never heard of anyone being hauled out of his/her place of employment for an unpaid parking ticket. Similarly, it would not serve public interests if I could a) file a civil suit against John Boehner and b) call the police to haul him in off the House floor. Your point is excellent, in my view because it is informative and caused me to think. Thank you!

That is true of some, I'm sure. (I am a retired professor.) But there are some, many in the sciences, who know they could make it in industry but prefer academia as a place to pursue research interests. And some, like Gruber, make more money consulting from academia than they could if employed in industry.

Do we break up families when we put a felon in prison? The families often haven't done anything illegal; why should they suffer. Every time someone is fined, doesn't that take money from his or her family? Shouldn't all punishments be pain free for everyone? I find the lack of logic, consistency of thought, and common sense among liberal/progressives quite appalling. I learned on the playground that "following the rules" is a good thing--as is following the rules to change rules we think bad.

"new or returning Republican voters do not give a flip about Benghazi, Fast and Furious, or even the IRS scandals" Really? Republican voters do not give a flip about the law, government malfeasance or things which, had Republicans done, would have the main stream media howling about abuse of power, treason and the like? Republican voters do not give a flip about the government doing things that get our relatives killed? What Republicans do you know, Mr. Davis?

I'm not an engineer but the machines worry me; we have a long history of voter fraud in the USA and the Democrat policies of no ID (they call it voter suppression), same day registration, and mail ballots are all conducive to trickery. Having served several times as a poll worker, I can also say that massive fraud at the polls is possible but very difficult and risky.

The "race" label is a social construct; it has no basis in science. Or, perhaps I should say, there is no genetic basis for defining a race. The way it is defined by the US Census is simplicity itself: one checks a box on a form!